This invention relates to an oven of any type, ie gas, microwave, electric, combination etc., provided with a cooking chamber for food preparation.
The problem of cleaning deposits, particularly fats from the cooking chamber walls following use of the oven is well known. This cleaning can be done in various ways, either manually or more particularly by the pyrolysis of such impurities. With reference to the latter method of cleaning the oven cooking chamber, pyrolysis is achieved by arranging electrical resistance elements at the walls of said chamber to heat the surfaces of said walls (on which said impurities have deposited) to a temperature of around 500.degree. C. or more.
Pyrolysis effected in this manner has various drawbacks. One of these is the arranging of the resistance elements along the cooking chamber walls, resulting in a higher oven coat, greater difficulties in its construction due to the need to better insulate its walls (for example to prevent them reaching temperatures which are too high and thus dangerous for the user) and greater energy consumption due to the use of such resistance elements. In addition the pyrolysis is achieved by unselectively heating the entire inner surfaces of the cooking chamber walls, even in regions in which this heating is unnecessary, with further energy wastage.
A further drawback is that as a consequence of the generalized heating of the inner surfaces of the cooking chamber, very high cooling time is needed, which makes it impossible to use the oven for a long time after it has been cleaned by pyrolysis.